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Industry Applauds LRRP Reform Legislation

Several industry organizations are applauding the introduction of legislation in the House of Representatives that would reform the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule. Introduced last week by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) and backed by 21 original co-sponsors, the Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2013 (H.R. 2093) would restore the opt-out provision to allow homeowners without small children or pregnant women residing in the home to decide whether to require LRRP compliance, allow remodelers to correct paperwork errors without facing full penalties, and prevent the expansion of the LRRP to commercial buildings until the EPA conducts a study demonstrating the need for such action, among other provisions. Full text of the bill is available here.

“This bill adds reason and common sense to our duty to protect consumers. It will help remodelers and consumers by eliminating unnecessary and burdensome rules that increase the cost of window replacement, while maintaining safeguards for children and pregnant woman from lead exposure," says Jim Roland, member of the Window & Door Dealers Alliance Advisory Council, as well as president of Window World of Baton Rouge.

“The WDDA is actively supporting this reform of the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, along with other affiliated trade groups," adds WDDA VP Jim Gandorf.

"H.R. 2093 will make common sense improvements to the EPA's lead paint rule for homeowners and remodelers who must comply with the regulation's costly work practices and recordkeeping requirements," says NAHB Remodelers Chairman Bill Shaw. "Most importantly, it will continue to protect pregnant women and small children against lead hazards. I commend the bill's co-sponsors for their commitment to improve this burdensome regulation."

"While the housing market slowly improves, the window and door retrofit market has played a large part in sustaining our industry,” adds Michael O'Brien, president and CEO of the Window & Door Manufacturers Association. “The EPA is unnecessarily hurting our economic recovery and consumers' ability to get new energy efficient products into their homes by expanding the lead rule beyond its original intent," he says.